Improvement in camp-chests



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMBROSE S. OARNER, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAM P-CHESTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,734, dated November 19, 1861.

.To all wwm/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMBEosE S. CARNER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, lhave invented a new article of manufacture for use in houses, tents, dto., and for travelers, consist-ing of a trunk and table combined so that interchangeably'it may discharge the duty or office of both trunk and table; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and an exact description of f and B are respectively one side and end. C

C are two leaves, which, turning` upon the hinOes c cand two others not shown in the figure) and meeting in the center, form the Gris a liange on one of they top of the trunk. leaves, securing the other leaf, the leaf itself being fastened by a hasp R. This flange may be either of wood or metal and may itself terminate in a hasp instead of having the hasp separate, as shown in the figure. D D D` Dl are the four legs, turning upon the hinges d, and now folded up. E is simply a cross-bar to strengthen these legs when the trunk is converted into a table. H is a thin cross-bar of iron,brass, or other metal, which, being attached to the legs and passing inside of the hasp R, serve to confine the legs in the folded position shown in the figure. I represents an iron staple through which straps are to be passed to confine the legs when the article is used as a table, in a manner to be shown in the description of Fig. 2. F Frepresent two stout straps passed entirely around the trunk, serving to strengthen it when used as such and to confine the legs when it is used as a table, in a manner to be hereinafter shown. L L are metal clasps to strengthen the joints of the trunk. M M are two crossbars of Wood passing under the trunk to serve both as rests for the latter and as partial supports for the legs when unfolded. O is the port the leaves.

end of the bar to be projected for the support of the leaves when unfolded. It slides upon the immovable bar whose end P is seen.

Fig. 2 represents the table, the central part (which is shown in Fig. 3) having been removed to exhibit the slides O O', which sup- The references A, B, K, L, and M are precisely as in Fig. l. C C ,are the under surfaces of the leaves turning on the hinges c c c c', the flange and hasp taking, respectively, the positions G and R. These leaves are supported by the movable bars O O, which are thrust out, only that portion of them which is within the trunk being visible in the figure. These movable bars slide upon an immovable cross-bar P. At the center is a metal clasp Q, upon the superior surface of which is a mortise S, into which a plug (shown in Fig. 3) is inserted, which, tting into corresponding mortises in each of the movable bars, serves to retain the latter in position. Vis the interior 0f the cavity; lV, a projecting ridge at each end, upon which the ends of the central board rest. D D D D represent the legs, turning upon the hinges d d d', strengthened superiorly by the cross-bar E, inferiorly by the metal rod H, and resting partly against the cross-pieces M M. position the straps F F, before passed around the trunk, are now passed through a staple I' in each leg and buckled fast. The legs may be either confined in this way or the straps may be entirely detached 4from the body of the table and passed directly through the four staples and made fast.

Fig. 3 represents the central board X of the surface of the table. It is of a size which enables it to till the space V in Fig. 2, its ends resting upon the cross-bar XV, Fig. 2, its upper surface flush with the surface of the leaves C C', Fig. 2. In the center is a slit Y, wide enough to enable the plug Z to be placed in the mortise S of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows the mode of operation of the sliding bars Which support the leaves when opened. A A are the sides of the boX. The immovable bar upon which the sliding bars move, being directly below them, is not shown in the figure. Q is the metal clasp surrounding the Whole; S, the mortise in its upper sur- To confine them in this face. OO are the two sliding bars, their position, when the article is a trunk, being shown by the continuous black lilies, and that when the article is used as a table by the red dotted lines. The mortises p p retain them in the latter position. Similar mortises in the center of each bar hold them Within the cavity of the trunk when the article is used as such, the ends of the bars being flush with the external surface of the sides of the trunk. The modes of converting the trunk into a table, and the converse, are as follows:

First. To convert the trunk into a table, unbuclle the straps and unlock the hasps. By this means both the leaves may be raised and the legs turned down. First turn down the legs and secure them in an upright position by the straps by either of the methods described above. Then unfold the leaves, Withdraw the plug from the mortises which retained the sliding bars Within the trunk, shove the bars out, replace the plug in its position. The table is then complete.

Second. To convert the table into a truuk, remove the plug, shove iu the sliding bars, and replace the plug, fold the leaves together upon the top of the trunk, remove the straps from the staples in the legs, fold up the legs, secure them by the hasp, and buckle the straps around the body of the trunk. The

, trunk is then complete.

The produced article or utensil is of high value to soldiers or to others who are traveling and who require atrunk to transport their clothes,implements, and effects, and who need a table When encamping or remaining forany length of time in one place. In tents or small rooms a trunk of sufficient dimensions to be useful as such is al serious inconvenience by reason of the spacey it unavoidably occupies; but when converted into a table, that Which was formerly in the Way is not only no longer an incumbrance, but supplies an'other and equally important Want of the occupants of the tent and obviates the necessity of transporting a table, which would be impossible, or at least extremely inconvenient to soldiers When on a march. The great simplicitywith which the article in question is constructed renders it very little liable to get out of order, and the substitution of leather straps for such purposes as are usually supplied by metal bars or hooks enable such derangements as would be most liable to happen to be readily remedied even in the eld. The ease and facility with which it may be converted from a trunk into a table, or the converse, is an item of vast importance to a soldier, Who is so often compelled to march at a moments notice, and whose limited period of repose when halting on a march demand the utmost economy of time in rendering his preparations complete.

The trunk, when used as such, occupies but slightly more room than an ordinary trunk of the same capacity, yet when converted into a table isl capable of seating six persons. The compact and substantial method of construction insures great durability, While the price at which it can be manufacturedis such as to place it Within the reach of many who could not afford a more expensive and complicated article.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The slides O O', clasp Q, and plug Z, when the same are arranged in combination with the movable top X, substantially as above described.

2. The slides O O', movable top X, and folding leaves C C', when the same are arranged .substantially as above described, for the purposes set forth.

3. The slides O O', movable top X, when the same are arranged in combination with the hinged legs D and the straps F,substantially as above described.

4. A trunk with its parts arranged and constructed substantially as and for the purposes specified, it being susceptible of a ready conversion into a table.

AMBROSE S. CARNER.

Witnesses:

WM. M. FERGUSON, HosnA B. CARNER. 

